Microsoft Bookings lets customers pick a service, a staff member, and a slot inside the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Helppa schedules through conversation on Google Calendar. Here's how the two compare.
| Feature | Helppa | Microsoft Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| Booking experience | Conversational AI chat — guests describe what they need in plain language | Branded booking page — customers choose a service, staff member, and open slot |
| Handles ambiguity | Yes — Jane asks clarifying questions ("Morning or afternoon? How long?") | No — customers select from predefined services and time slots |
| Setup complexity | Connect Google Calendar, claim your link — done in 60 seconds | Set up a booking mailbox, define services, staff, and business hours in M365 |
| Requires Microsoft 365 | No — works with a Google account | Yes — included with eligible Microsoft 365 Business subscriptions |
| Best fit | Individuals and teams who schedule meetings and calls | Service businesses booking appointments with staff (clinics, salons, consultants) |
| Staff & service scheduling | Multi-host links — Jane finds times that work for all hosts | Yes — a core strength; assign services to specific staff members |
| Personal scheduling URL | helppa.io/yourname | A Microsoft Bookings page hosted on outlook.office365.com |
| Guest experience | Natural chat — feels like texting an assistant | Structured appointment form with service and staff pickers |
| Embeddable widget | Yes — one-line script, chat widget on your site | Yes — embed the booking page on your website |
| Calendar support | Google Calendar | Outlook / Microsoft 365 |
| Meeting recording | Built-in with AI transcription & summaries | Not built in — handled separately in Microsoft Teams |
| Pricing | Free to start | Included with eligible Microsoft 365 Business plans |
Microsoft Bookings is purpose-built for service businesses running on Microsoft 365 — if you need customers to book a 30-minute appointment with a specific staff member, it does that well. But it assumes a Microsoft 365 subscription, an admin to configure services and staff, and a structured "pick a service, pick a slot" flow.
Helppa's AI assistant, Jane, takes a different approach. She handles scheduling the way a human EA would — asking questions, adapting to preferences, and finding the right time — with nothing to configure beyond connecting your Google Calendar.
If your organization already runs on Microsoft 365 and you need customers to book appointments with named staff across multiple services, Microsoft Bookings is the natural choice — it's included with eligible plans, lives in Outlook, and is built for that exact appointment-business workflow.
Helppa is focused on individuals and teams who schedule meetings and want the booking experience to feel personal and effortless. If you work in Google Calendar and want a warm, conversational interaction, Helppa is the better choice.
Connect your Google Calendar and get your personal scheduling link in under a minute.
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